Alabama A&M's Louis Crews Stadium getting artificial turf, will host high school games

Alabama A&M University's Louis Crews Stadium will host 10 high school and four middle school games this fall as part of a deal with the city and Huntsville school system. (The Huntsville Times/Robin Conn)

HUNTSVILLE, Alabama -- Alabama A&M University's 21,000-seat Louis Crews Stadium is poised to become a home away from home for Huntsville's six high school football teams.

The university, Huntsville City Council and city school system have agreed to split the cost of replacing the stadium's grass field with artificial turf.

Mayor Tommy Battle estimated the cost at $1.1 million, with the city and school system each paying a maximum of $289,000. Building a new stadium to replace cramped Goldsmith-Schiffman Field would cost at least $5 million, he said.

"It's cost-efficient for us," Battle said Friday, "and makes good use of a facility that's already there."

The turf will allow Louis Crews Stadium to host 10 high school and four middle school football games this fall, in addition to A&M's normal home schedule.

The arrangement kicks off Aug. 31 with Huntsville High vs. Sparkman.

Johnson High, located just west of the A&M campus, is scheduled to play four games at Louis Crews this season.

The entrance to Goldsmith-Schiffman Field on Ward Avenue. (The Huntsville Times/Robin Conn)

While Milton Frank Stadium in Brahan Spring Park will remain the city's main high school football venue, hosting 21 games this fall, just three games are scheduled for Goldsmith-Schiffman Field.

"It will probably be phased out, from what I've heard," said Battle.

A contract approved by the City Council last week gives Alabama A&M less than two months to have the new turf installed. The school system would receive a $3,500-per-game credit if the turf is not down by Oct. 1.

School board President Laurie McCaulley said she is confident the work will be finished on time.

Alabama A&M President Dr. Andrew Hugine "is a man of integrity, and he's going to make sure those deadlines are being met," McCaulley said Friday. "But they're going to have to get busy."

University officials did not respond to interview requests.

According to the contract, the city and school board will pay the university a "stadium use fee" of $1,750 for every high school and middle school game played at Louis Crews. In addition, the board is obligated to cover the cost of the public address announcer, scoreboard and clock operators, and cleaning up after games.

The contract also specifies that the school board hire two university police officers -- at $25 per hour each -- to provide security at high school and middle school games.

While the school system or its designated host school gets to keep the parking revenues, all money from concession sales goes to Alabama A&M.

Officials said artificial turf is the only way to make the arrangement work. Louis Crews' grass field would be worn ragged by so much action; a high school game played in the rain would leave it a soupy mess.

McCaulley said it will be a treat for high school football teams to play on a college field. Louis Crews is the sixth-largest stadium in Alabama.

City Councilman Richard Showers, an A&M alumnus, called it "a wonderful opportunity to utilize a facility that's not being used as much as it could be.

"With this arrangement, we'll have something going on all the time," Showers said Thursday. "I'm still on cloud nine."